Systems and methods for vascular mapping

ABSTRACT

Systems, apparatuses, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media for mapping a section of a vasculature of a subject are described herein, including moving a probe to a first position at a body of the subject adjacent the section of the vasculature; transmitting, by the probe, a first ultrasound beam into a first portion of the section of the vasculature through the body of the subject; receiving first ultrasound data including at least one imaging parameter of the first portion based on the first ultrasound beam; moving the probe to a second position at the body of the subject adjacent the section of the vasculature and different from the first position; transmitting, by the probe, a second ultrasound beam into a second portion of the section of the vasculature through the body of the subject; receiving second ultrasound data including the at least one imaging parameter of the second portion based on the second ultrasound beam; and constructing a map of the section of the vasculature based on the first ultrasound data and the second ultrasound data.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

The present disclosure claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S.provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/616,419, titled MAPPING OFCEREBRAL VASCULATURE USING ULTRASOUND, and filed on Jan. 11, 2018, whichis incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The presentdisclosure further claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S.provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/655,121, titled SYSTEMS ANDMETHODS FOR VASCULATURE MAPPING, and filed on Apr. 9, 2018, which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Ultrasound energy (e.g., pulse wave ultrasound) can be utilized toinsonate a range of depths to represent velocity and intensity of flowover that particular range. For example, motion mode or multi-mode(M-Mode) energy (e.g., power or velocity M-Mode) of ultrasound has beendeveloped to address difficulties in locating acoustic windows and bloodflow in vessels. Furthermore, a robotic setup that controls multipledegrees of freedom (DOF) positioning of an ultrasound probe has beendeveloped to automatically and precisely control insonation of asubject's vasculature.

SUMMARY

According to various arrangements, there is provided a method formapping a section of a vasculature of a subject. The method includesmoving a probe to a first position at a body of the subject adjacent thesection of the vasculature. The method further includes transmitting, bythe probe, a first ultrasound beam into a first portion of the sectionof the vasculature through the body of the subject. The method furtherincludes receiving first ultrasound data including at least one imagingparameter of the first portion based on the first ultrasound beam. Themethod further includes moving the probe to a second position at thebody of the subject adjacent the section of the vasculature anddifferent from the first position. The method further includestransmitting, by the probe, a second ultrasound beam into a secondportion of the section of the vasculature through the body of thesubject. The method further includes receiving second ultrasound dataincluding the at least one imaging parameter of the second portion basedon the second ultrasound beam. The method further includes constructinga map of the section of the vasculature based on the first ultrasounddata and the second ultrasound data.

In some arrangements, the first position at the body of the subject isadjacent the head of the subject.

In some arrangements, the section of the vasculature includes the circleof Willis of the subject.

In some arrangements, the at least one imaging parameter includespresence and vector direction of blood flow.

In some arrangements, the vector direction indicates intensity of theblood flow away or towards the probe.

In some arrangements, the first position includes a first location alongthe body of the subject and a first orientation of the probe; the secondposition includes a second location along the body of the subject and asecond orientation of the probe; and at least one of the first locationis different from the second location or the first orientation isdifferent from the second orientation.

In some arrangements, the first and second portions of the section ofthe vasculature are the same and the first and second ultrasound beamsinsonate the first and second portions at different angles.

In some arrangements, the first and second portions of the section ofthe vasculature are different.

In some arrangements, the first and second portions of the section ofthe vasculature overlap each other.

In some arrangements, the first and second ultrasound beams include apredetermined length.

In some arrangements, the predetermined length is about 60 millimeters.

In some arrangements, the first and second ultrasound data include theat least one imaging parameter at a plurality of different insonateddepths along the first and second ultrasound beams, respectively.

In some arrangements, the plurality of insonated depths correspond todepths along the first and second ultrasound beams that overlap with thefirst and second portions of the section of the vasculature,respectively.

In some arrangements, constructing the map of the section of thevasculature includes generating coordinates of the first and secondportions of the section of the vasculature in three-dimensional space.

In some arrangements, the coordinates of the first and second portionsof the section of the vasculature are based on a plurality of insonateddepths where the first and second ultrasound beams overlap the first andsecond portions.

In some arrangements, constructing the map of the section of thevasculature further includes connecting the coordinates of the first andsecond portions of the section of the vasculature in three-dimensionalspace.

In some arrangements, the first and second ultrasound beams includetranscranial Doppler ultrasound.

In some arrangements, the probe is configured to move in at least twodegrees of freedom (DOF).

According to various arrangements, a tool for mapping a section of avasculature of a subject is provided. The tool includes a probe and aprocessing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to move theprobe to a first position at a body of the subject adjacent the sectionof the vasculature. The probe is further configured to transmit, by theprobe, a first ultrasound beam into a first portion of the section ofthe vasculature through the body of the subject. The probe is furtherconfigured to receive first ultrasound data including at least oneimaging parameter of the first portion based on the first ultrasoundbeam. The probe is further configured to move the probe to a secondposition at the body of the subject adjacent the section of thevasculature and different from the first position. The probe is furtherconfigured to transmit, by the probe, a second ultrasound beam into asecond portion of the section of the vasculature through the body of thesubject. The probe is further configured to receive second ultrasounddata including the at least one imaging parameter of the second portionbased on the second ultrasound beam. The probe is further configured toconstruct a map of the section of the vasculature based on the firstultrasound data and the second ultrasound data.

According to various arrangements, there is provided a non-transitorycomputer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions suchthat, when executed by a processor, maps a section of a vasculature of asubject by moving a probe to a first position at a body of the subjectadjacent the section of the vasculature; transmitting, by the probe, afirst ultrasound beam into a first portion of the section of thevasculature through the body of the subject; receiving first ultrasounddata including at least one imaging parameter of the first portion basedon the first ultrasound beam; moving the probe to a second position atthe body of the subject adjacent the section of the vasculature anddifferent from the first position; transmitting, by the probe, a secondultrasound beam into a second portion of the section of the vasculaturethrough the body of the subject; receiving second ultrasound dataincluding the at least one imaging parameter of the second portion basedon the second ultrasound beam; and constructing a map of the section ofthe vasculature based on the first ultrasound data and the secondultrasound data.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Features and aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent fromthe following description and the accompanying example arrangementsshown in the drawings, which are briefly described below.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a system for vascular mappingaccording to various arrangements.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the system shown inFIG. 1 according to various arrangements.

FIG. 3 is a process flow diagram illustrating a method for vascularmapping using the system shown in FIG. 1 according to variousarrangements.

FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram illustrating an example workspace of asubject according to various arrangements.

FIG. 4B is a three-dimensional diagram illustrating a plurality ofultrasound beams of insonation within the subject shown in FIG. 4Aaccording to various arrangements.

FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating an ultrasound beam insonating a circleof Willis according to various arrangements.

FIG. 5B is a three-dimensional diagram illustrating data collected bythe ultrasound beam insonating the circle of Willis shown in FIG. 5Aaccording to various arrangements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appendeddrawings is intended as a description of various configurations and isnot intended to represent the only configurations in which the conceptsdescribed herein may be practiced. The detailed description includesspecific details for providing a thorough understanding of variousconcepts. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatthese concepts may be practiced without these specific details. In someinstances, well-known structures and components are shown in blockdiagram form in order to avoid obscuring such concepts.

In the following description of various arrangements, reference is madeto the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and in which areshown, by way of illustration, specific arrangements in which thearrangements may be practiced. It is to be understood that otherarrangements may be utilized, and structural changes may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the various arrangements disclosed in thepresent disclosure.

According to various arrangements, there are provided systems andmethods for vascular mapping utilizing ultrasound energy capable ofobtaining blood flow information across multiple depths and a roboticapparatus capable of finely spanning the vasculature with thethree-dimensional ultrasound beam profile to construct athree-dimensional representation of a subject's insonated vasculature.Currently, duplex systems are used to acquire a visualization(two-dimensional or three-dimensional) of vasculature in imaging modes(e.g., B-mode and C-mode) to be used in conjunction with pulse waveDoppler. Typically, the duplex system is costly and does not provideadequate resolution to provide certain blood flow information (e.g.,velocity and is used in addition to a non-duplex ultrasound system(e.g., TCD). According to various arrangements, because mapping andvisualization of vasculature can be performed in non-duplex systems(e.g., TCD systems that provide sufficient resolution of blood flowinformation), a costly separate duplex system is not required forvasculature mapping and would therefore simplify and make more efficientthe healthcare process (with the capability to perform all thefunctions, including vascular mapping or visualization, at the singlenon-duplex ultrasound system) and save costs for healthcare providerswhile providing adequate resolution of desired information relating toblood flow (e.g., velocity).

In some arrangements, measuring ultrasound data in M-Mode providessignal velocity or power information at every depth of an anatomicfeature (e.g., a brain) of a subject, between a minimum and maximumdepth value. Typically, vessel insonation is improved when the probe islined up parallel to the vessel (e.g., such that a length of the probe,and therefore an ultrasound beam emitted from the probe, is orientedalong the same direction as the length of a vessel, and therefore theflow of blood within the vessel). Vessel insonation refers to ultrasoundpenetration of blood vessels. For a particular insonation target point(e.g., a particular anatomic feature of interest, such as a particularvessel or a particular point in the brain), vessel insonation can beoptimized using the widest M-Mode band.

Further disclosure regarding M-Mode that can be utilized in conjunctionwith arrangements described herein can be found in U.S. Pat. No.6,196,972, titled DOPPLER ULTRASOUND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORINGBLOOD FLOW, and filed on Nov. 11, 1998, which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a system 100 according tovarious arrangements. Referring to FIG. 1, the system 100 includes atleast a device 110, a controller 130, and an output device 140.

In some examples, the device 110 is an ultrasound device (e.g., imagingultrasound or a TCD ultrasound device) configured to transmit and/orreceive acoustic energy with respect to a subject (e.g., a head of thesubject or other body part of the subject). The device 110 includes atleast one transducer or probe 105 (e.g., at least one ultrasound probe)configured to transmit and/or receive ultrasound acoustic energy withrespect to the subject. For example, the probe 105 includes at least oneTCD transducer. The probe 105 can be configured to collect theultrasound data in the manner described to find a high-quality signalwithin an acoustic window (e.g., temporal acoustic window). In somearrangements, an acoustic window is a location along the body of thesubject that allows acoustic energy to pass therethrough (e.g., suchthat bone or other internal or external body part minimally interferewith the acoustic energy signal transmitted or received by the probe105, for example, ultrasound energy signal). In other arrangements, theprobe 105 can be configured to collect the ultrasound data in the mannerdescribed to find a high-quality signal within different acousticwindows such as but not limited to, a temporal window, a transorbitalwindow, a suboccipital window, and so on. In some arrangements, theprobe 105 is configured to collect ultrasound data from other parts ofthe body, such as, but not limited to, the neck, the internal carotidartery, chest, abdomen, legs, and so on. In particular arrangements, theprobe 105 is configured to collect ultrasound data from any portion of asubject's body that provides access to a section of vasculature. In somearrangements, the system 100 includes two devices 110, each device 110including an ultrasound probe 105, which can be placed near or on thebody in locations, such as, but not limited to, the temporal windowregion on either side of the head (e.g., a first device 110 including aprobe 105 at a first side of the head and a second device 110 includinga probe 106 at a second side of the head that is opposite to the firstside of the head). An acoustic coupling gel can be applied between thehead and the probe 105 to improve acoustic transmission or reception.

The controller 130 is configured to receive the ultrasound datacollected and output by the device 110 and to perform signal processingfor the ultrasound data (e.g., construction of a representation of thesubject's vasculature based on the ultrasound data). In that regard, thedevice 110 is operatively coupled to the controller 130 via a suitablenetwork 120 to send the ultrasound data to the controller 130. Thenetwork 120 can be wired or wireless (e.g., 802.11X, ZigBee, Bluetooth®,Wi-Fi, or the like). The controller 130 is configured to assess signalquality of the ultrasound data in the manner described. In someexamples, the controller 130 is further configured to perform signalprocessing functions such as but not limited to, beat segmentation,morphological feature identification, digital signal processing, and soon to facilitate a physician, clinician, technician, or healthcareprovider with diagnosis. In some arrangements, the controller 130, theoutput device 140, and a portion of the network 120 are incorporatedinto a single device (e.g., a touchscreen tablet device).

In some arrangements, the output device 140 includes any suitable deviceconfigured to display information, results, messages, and the like to anoperator (e.g., a physician, clinician, technician, or care provider) ofthe system 100. For example, the output device 140 includes but is notlimited to, a monitor, a touchscreen, audio speaker, or any other outputdevice configured to display the ultrasound data (e.g., cerebral bloodflow velocity (CBFV) waveforms, M-Mode data, spectral data), morphologyindicators corresponding to the ultrasound data, visualization ofmapping of the subject's vasculature, and so on for facilitatingdiagnosis.

In some arrangements, the system 100 as described herein is used inconjunction with or for other diagnostic ultrasound procedures, such as,but not limited to, needle guidance, intravascular ultrasound (e.g.,examination of vessels, blood flow characteristics, clot identification,emboli monitoring, and so on), echocardiograms, abdominal sonography(e.g., imaging of the pancreas, aorta, inferior vena cava, liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, kidneys, spleen, appendix, rectal area, and so on),gynecologic ultrasonography (e.g., examination of pelvic organs such asuterus, ovaries, Fallopian tubes, and so on), obstetrical sonography,otolaryngological sonography (e.g., imaging of the thyroid (such as fortumors and lesions), lymph nodes, salivary glands, and so on), neonatalsonography (e.g., assessment of intracerebral structural abnormalitiesthrough soft spots of a skull of an infant, bleeds, ventriculomegaly,hyrdrocephalus, anoxic insults, and so on), ophthamological procedures(e.g., A-scan ultrasound biometry, B-scan ultrasonography, and so on),pulmonological uses (e.g., endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)), urologicalprocedures (e.g., determination of an amount of fluid retained in asubject's bladder, imaging of pelvic organs (such as uterus, ovaries,urinary bladder, prostate, and testicles), and detection of kidneystones), scrotal sonography (e.g., to evaluate testicular pain, identifysolid masses, and so on), musculoskeletal procedures (e.g., examinationof tendons, muscles, nerves, ligaments, soft tissue masses, bonesurfaces, and so on), bone fracture sonography, testing for myopathicdisease, estimating lean body mass, proxy measures of muscle quality(e.g., tissue composition), nephrological procedures (e.g., renalultrasonography), and the like.

In some arrangements, the system 100 as described herein is used inconjunction with therapeutic ultrasound procedures, such as, but notlimited to, high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), focused ultrasoundsurgery (FUS), Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS),lithotripsy (e.g., breaking up kidney stones, bezoars, gall stones, andthe like), targeted ultrasound drug delivery, trans-dermal ultrasounddrug delivery, ultrasound hemostasis, cancer therapy,ultrasound-assisted thrombolysis, dental hygiene (e.g., cleaning teeth),phacoemulsification, ablation (e.g., of tumors or other tissue),acoustic targeted drug delivery (ATDD), trigger release of drugs (e.g.,anti-cancer drugs), ultrasound-guided treatments (sclerotherapy,endovenous laser treatment, liposuction, and so on), and the like. Insome arrangements, ultrasound is used for physical therapy applications,including, but not limited to, stimulating tissue beneath the skin'ssurface (e.g., by using very high frequency sound waves, such as, as anexample, between about 800,000 Hz and 2,000,000 Hz), treatingmusculoskeletal ailments with ultrasound exposure (e.g., ligamentsprains, muscle strains, tendonitis, joint inflammation, plantarfasciitis, metatarsalgia, facet irritation, impingement syndrome,bursitis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and scar tissueadhesion), and the like.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the system 100 shown inFIG. 1 according to various arrangements. Referring to FIGS. 1-2, thedevice 110 includes the probe 105 as described. Further disclosureregarding examples of the probe 105 that can be used in conjunction withthe system 100 described herein can be found in non-provisionalpublication no. US 2017-0119347 A1, titled ROBOTIC SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLOF AN ULTRASONIC PROBE, and filed on Jan. 5, 2017, which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety. In some arrangements, the device110 is configured to automatically or robotically operate the probe 105.

In some arrangements, the device 110 includes robotics 214 configured tocontrol positioning of the probe 105. For example, the robotics 214 areconfigured to translate the probe 105 along a surface of the body of thesubject (e.g., the subject's head) and to move the probe 105 withrespect to (e.g., toward and away from) the subject's body along variousaxes in the Cartesian, spherical, and rotational coordinate systems. Inparticular, the robotics 214 can include a multiple degree of freedom(DOF) TCD transducer positioning system with motion planning. In somearrangements, the robotics 214 are capable of supporting one, two,three, four, five, or six DOF movements of the probe 105 with respect tothe subject's body. In some instances, the robotics 214 can translate inX and Y axes (e.g., along a surface of the head) to locate a temporalwindow region in translational axes, and in Z axis with both force andposition feedback control to both position and maintain the appropriateforce against the skull/skin to maximize signal quality by maintainingappropriate contact force. Two angular DOF (e.g., pan and tilt) may beused to maximize normal insonation of blood vessels to maximize velocitysignals.

In some arrangements, an end of the probe 105 is operatively coupled toor otherwise interfaces with the robotics 214. The robotics 214 includecomponents, such as but not limited to a motor assembly and the like forcontrolling the positioning of the probe 105 (e.g., controlling z-axispressure, normal alignment, or the like of the probe 105). In somearrangements, the registration of the probe 105 against the head 105 isaccomplished using the robotics 214 to properly position and align theprobe 105 in the manner described.

In some arrangements, the probe 105 includes a first end and a secondend that is opposite to the first end. In some arrangements, the firstend includes a concave surface that is configured to be adjacent to orcontact a scanning surface on the head. The concave surface isconfigured with a particular pitch to focus generated energy towards thescanning surface. In some arrangements, the device 110 is a TCDapparatus such that the first end of the probe 105 is configured to beadjacent to or contact and align along a side of the head. The first endof the probe 105 is configured to provide ultrasound wave emissions fromthe first end and directed into the head (e.g., toward the brain). Forexample, the first end of the probe 105 can include a transducer (suchas, but not limited to, an ultrasound transducer, TCD, transcranialcolor-coded sonography (TCCS), or acoustic ultrasound transducer arraysuch as sequential arrays or phased arrays) that emits acoustic energycapable of penetrating windows in the skull/head or neck.

In some arrangements, the second end of the probe 105 is coupled to therobotics 214. In some arrangements, the second end of the probe 105includes a threaded section along a portion of the body of the probe105. The second end is configured to be secured in the robotics 214 viathe threads (e.g., by being screwed into the robotics 214). In otherarrangements, the probe 105 is secured in the robotics 214 by any othersuitable connecting means, such as but not limited to welding, adhesive,one or more hooks and latches, one or more separate screws, pressfittings, or the like.

The device 110 can further include a structural support 216 configuredto support the head of the subject and/or to support the device 110 onthe head or other parts of the body of the subject. In some examples,the structural support 216 includes a platform (e.g., a baseplate) thatallows the subject to lay down on a flat surface in a reclined or supineposition while the device 110 is operational. The structural support 216can be made from any suitably malleable material that allows forflexing, such as, but not limited to, flexible plastics, polyethylene,urethanes, polypropylene, ABS, nylon, fiber-reinforced silicones,structural foams, or the like.

In some arrangements, the system 100 includes an input device 250. Theinput device 250 includes any suitable device configured to allow anoperator, physician, or care provider personnel to input information orcommands into the system 100. In some arrangements, the input device 250includes but is not limited to, a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, ajoystick, a touchscreen display, a microphone, or any other input deviceperforming a similar function. In some arrangements, the input device250 and the output device 140 can be a same input/output device (e.g., atouchscreen display device).

In some arrangements, the network interface 260 is structured forsending and receiving data (e.g., results, instructions, requests,software or firmware updates, and the like) over a communication network(e.g., the network 120). Accordingly, the network interface 260 includesany of a cellular transceiver (for cellular standards), local wirelessnetwork transceiver (for 802.11X, ZigBee, Bluetooth®, Wi-Fi, or thelike), wired network interface, a combination thereof (e.g., both acellular transceiver and a Bluetooth transceiver), and/or the like. Insome examples, the network interface 260 includes any method or deviceconfigured to send data from the device 110 to the controller 130. Inthat regard, the network interface 260 may include Universal Serial Bus(USB), FireWire, serial communication, and the like.

In some arrangements, the input device 250, the output device 140, thenetwork interface 260, and the controller 130 form a single computingsystem that resides on a same node on the network 120. The device 110 isconfigured to be connected to the computing system via the network 120.The network interface 260 is configured to communicate data to and fromthe device 110 via the network 120. In such arrangements, the device 110includes a similar network interface (not shown) to communicate data toand from the computing device via the network 120. In other arrangementsin which the device 110, the controller 130, the output device 140, theinput device 250, and the network interface 260 all reside in a samecomputing device on a same node of a network, the network interface 260is configured to communicate data with another suitable computing system(e.g., cloud data storage, remote server, and the like).

In some arrangements, the controller 130 is configured for controllingoperations, processing data, executing input commands, providingresults, and so on. For example, the controller 130 is configured toreceive input data or instructions from the input device 250 or thenetwork interface 260, to control the system 100 to execute thecommands, to receive data from the device 110, to provide information tothe output device 140 or network interface 260, and so on.

The controller 130 includes a processing circuit 232 having a processor234 and a memory 236. In some arrangements, the processor 234 can beimplemented as a general-purpose processor and is coupled to the memory236. The processor 234 includes any suitable data processing device,such as a microprocessor. In the alternative, the processor 234 includesany suitable electronic processor, controller, microcontroller, or statemachine. In some arrangements, the processor 234 is implemented as acombination of computing devices (e.g., a combination of a DigitalSignal Processor (DSP) and a microprocessor, a plurality ofmicroprocessors, at least one microprocessor in conjunction with a DSPcore, or any other such configuration). In some arrangements, theprocessor 234 is implemented as an Application Specific IntegratedCircuit (ASIC), one or more Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), aDigital Signal Processor (DSP), a group of processing components, orother suitable electronic processing components.

In some arrangements, the memory 236 includes a non-transitoryprocessor-readable storage medium that stores processor-executableinstructions. In some arrangements, the memory 236 includes any suitableinternal or external device for storing software and data. Examples ofthe memory 236 include but are not limited to, Random Access Memory(RAM), Read-Only Memory (ROM), Non-Volatile RAM (NVRAM), flash memory,floppy disks, hard disks, dongles or other Recomp Sensor Board(RSB)-connected memory devices, or the like. The memory 236 can store anOperating System (OS), user application software, and/or executableinstructions. The memory 236 can also store application data, such as anarray data structure. In some arrangements, the memory 236 stores dataand/or computer code for facilitating the various processes describedherein.

As used herein, the term “circuit” can include hardware structured toexecute the functions described herein. In some arrangements, eachrespective circuit can include machine-readable media for configuringthe hardware to execute the functions described herein. The circuit canbe embodied as one or more circuitry components including, but notlimited to, processing circuitry, network interfaces, peripheraldevices, input devices, output devices, sensors, etc. In somearrangements, a circuit can take the form of one or more analogcircuits, electronic circuits (e.g., integrated circuits (IC), discretecircuits, system on a chip (SOCs) circuits, etc.), telecommunicationcircuits, hybrid circuits, and any other suitable type of circuit. Inthis regard, the circuit can include any type of component foraccomplishing or facilitating achievement of the operations describedherein. For example, a circuit as described herein can include one ormore transistors, logic gates (e.g., NAND, AND, NOR, OR, XOR, NOT, XNOR,etc.), resistors, multiplexers, registers, capacitors, inductors,diodes, wiring, and so on.

The circuit can also include one or more processors communicativelycoupled to one or more memory or memory devices. In this regard, the oneor more processors can execute instructions stored in the memory or canexecute instructions otherwise accessible to the one or more processors.In some arrangements, the one or more processors can be embodied invarious ways. The one or more processors can be constructed in a mannersufficient to perform at least the operations described herein. In somearrangements, the one or more processors can be shared by multiplecircuits (e.g., a first circuit and a second circuit can comprise orotherwise share the same processor which, in some example arrangements,can execute instructions stored, or otherwise accessed, via differentareas of memory). Alternatively, or additionally, the one or moreprocessors can be structured to perform or otherwise execute certainoperations independent of one or more co-processors. In other examplearrangements, two or more processors can be coupled via a bus to enableindependent, parallel, pipelined, or multi-threaded instructionexecution. Each processor can be implemented as one or moregeneral-purpose processors, ASICs, FPGAs, DSPs, or other suitableelectronic data processing components structured to execute instructionsprovided by memory. The one or more processors can take the form of asingle core processor, multi-core processor (e.g., a dual coreprocessor, triple core processor, quad core processor, etc.),microprocessor, etc. In some arrangements, the one or more processorscan be external to the apparatus, for example, the one or moreprocessors can be a remote processor (e.g., a cloud-based processor).Alternatively, or additionally, the one or more processors can beinternal and/or local to the apparatus. In this regard, a given circuitor components thereof can be disposed locally (e.g., as part of a localserver, a local computing system, etc.) or remotely (e.g., as part of aremote server such as a cloud-based server). To that end, a circuit, asdescribed herein can include components that are distributed across oneor more locations.

An example system for implementing the overall system or portions of thearrangements can include a general-purpose computer, including aprocessing unit, a system memory, and a system bus that couples varioussystem components including the system memory to the processing unit.Each memory device can include non-transient volatile storage media,non-volatile storage media, non-transitory storage media (e.g., one ormore volatile and/or non-volatile memories), etc. In some arrangements,the non-volatile media may take the form of ROM, flash memory (e.g.,flash memory such as NAND, 3D NAND, NOR, 3D NOR, etc.), ElectricallyErasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), Magnetoresistive RandomAccess Memory (MRAM), magnetic storage, hard discs, optical discs, etc.In other arrangements, the volatile storage media can take the form ofRAM, Thyristor Random Access Memory (TRAM), Z-Capacitor Random AccessMemory (ZRAM), etc. Combinations of the above are also included withinthe scope of machine-readable media. In this regard, machine-executableinstructions comprise, for example, instructions and data which cause ageneral-purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purposeprocessing machines to perform a certain function or group of functions.Each respective memory device can be operable to maintain or otherwisestore information relating to the operations performed by one or moreassociated circuits, including processor instructions and related data(e.g., database components, object code components, script components,etc.), in accordance with the example arrangements described herein.

The controller 130 further includes a vascular mapping circuit 238,which can be implemented with the processing circuit 232 or anotherdedicated processing circuit. In some examples, the vascular mappingcircuit 238 can be implemented with two or more circuits. The vascularmapping circuit 238 is configured to control the probe 105 and othercomponents of the system 100 (e.g., the controller 130) to performvarious tasks associated with mapping a section of vasculature of asubject, including, transmitting the acoustic energy into thevasculature, collecting and aggregating acoustic data based on thetransmitted energy, constructing a mapping of the section of thevasculature based on the collected acoustic data, and other tasksdescribed herein.

The controller 130 further includes a robotics control circuit 240,which can be implemented with the processing circuit 232 or anotherdedicated processing circuit. The robotics control circuit 240 isconfigured to control the robotics 214 to move the probe 105 in themanner described herein.

FIG. 3 is a process flow diagram illustrating a method 300 for vascularmapping using the system 100 according to various arrangements.Referring to FIGS. 1-3, at 310, the robotics 214 are configured by therobotics control circuit 240 to move the probe 105 to a first positionon a subject. The probe 105 may be controlled to move within a workspaceat the subject, as described with respect to FIG. 4A.

In some arrangements, a position of the probe 105 at a subject includesa location of the probe 105 at the subject and an orientation of theprobe 105 with respect to the subject and at the location of the probe105. Accordingly, the robotics control circuit 240 is configured toinstruct the probe via the robotics 214 to move along the subject androtate the probe 105 at various degrees of rotation to allow the probe105, for example, five or more DOF. In particular arrangements, therobotics 214 that are controlled by the robotics control circuit 240 areconfigured to provide a five DOF automated robotic system that can beused, in conjunction with the probe 105 (e.g., an ultrasound probe, forexample, a TCD probe), to locate an acoustic window (e.g., atranstemporal acoustic window) and measure blood flow characteristics ofa section of vasculature in the subject using the probe 105. Forexample, the robotics 214 are configured to translate and rotate theprobe 105 in an X-axis (e.g., laterally along the subject), Y-axis(e.g., laterally along the subject along an axis perpendicular to theX-axis), rotation in a direction along the X-axis, and rotation in adirection along the Y-axis, while keeping contact along a Z-axis (e.g.,telescoping towards and away from the subject along an axis that isperpendicular to the X-axis and Y-axis) with the subject's acousticwindow with a constant force.

In some arrangements, the robotics 214 are configured to allow fineincrements in translation and rotation of the probe 105 to allow theprobe 105 to provide a thorough spanning of a section of the vasculaturewithin a subject using acoustic energy (e.g., ultrasound energy)emanated by the probe 105. For example, although the probe 105 can bemoved by the robotics 214 to a particular location at the subject.Accordingly, in some arrangements, the system 100 is capable of mappinga section of a vasculature of a subject in three-dimensional space byfinely moving the probe to various positions along a subject's acousticwindow and emanating a beam of ultrasound energy after each movement tocollect and aggregate ultrasound data from the individual ultrasoundbeams that insonate differing portions of the section of the vasculature(e.g., different portions or the same portion at different angles ofinsonation) that can then be used to construct the vasculature map, asfurther described below.

As such, in some arrangements, at step 310, the robotics 214 controlledby the robotics control circuit 240 are configured to move the probe 105to the first position that includes a first location and a firstorientation of the probe 105. The first location is along the subject(e.g., at an acoustic window of the subject) and is adjacent orproximate the section of vasculature that is to be insonated by theacoustic energy generated by the probe 105. For example, the probe 105is external the body of the subject while the section of the vasculatureis internal the body of the subject while the probe 105 and the sectionof the vasculature are adjacent or proximate to each other. The sectionof the vasculature to be insonated can include any section ofvasculature in the subject that is desired to be mapped, such as, butnot limited to the circle of Willis within the brain of the subject.

At 320, the probe 105 transmits a first ultrasound beam (e.g., ascontrolled by the vascular mapping circuit 238) into the section ofvasculature that is to be mapped. In some arrangements, the firstultrasound beam includes an ultrasound beam configured to insonate thesection of vasculature at multiple depths.

At 330, the vascular mapping circuit 238 receives first ultrasound datathat is based on and results from the first ultrasound beam transmittedat step 320. In particular arrangements, because the first ultrasoundbeam is configured to insonate the section of the vasculature atmultiple depths, the first ultrasound data includes information of thesection of the vasculature at multiple insonated depth (assuming thefirst ultrasound beam overlaps with the section of the vasculature atthe multiple depths). In other words, the first ultrasound data includesimaging information about the section of the vasculature at one or moreportions of the section of the vasculature where the first ultrasoundbeam intersects with the section of the vasculature.

In some arrangements, the first ultrasound data includes informationrelating to an imaging parameter at the one or more insonated depths ofthe section of the vasculature. For example, the imaging parameter caninclude information relating to blood flow at the one or more insonatedportions of the vasculature. In particular arrangements, the imagingparameter includes one or more of presence of blood flow, direction ofblood flow, and intensity of blood flow at the one or more insonatedportions of the section of the vasculature. For example, the imagingparameter can provide data pertaining to vector direction of blood flow,and so the direction and magnitude components of the vector directioncan help with building up intensity-based vessel maps. In somearrangements, the first ultrasound data includes M-Mode ultrasound data,which is a result of processing the returning first ultrasound beaminformation at the multiple depths of the first ultrasound beam.

At 340, the robotics 214 are configured by the robotics control circuit240 to move the probe 105 to a second position on a subject. Step 340 issimilar to step 310 and therefore the description provided with respectto step 310 above is applicable to step 340. In some arrangements, thesecond position is different than the first position. For example, theprobe 105 at the second position can have a second location along thebody of the subject and a second orientation of the probe at the secondlocation that are both different from the first location and the firstorientation of the first position of the probe 105, respectively. Asanother example, the first location of the first position and the secondlocation of the second position are the same, but the first orientationof the first position and the second orientation of the second positionare different (e.g., the probe 105 remains at the same location at thebody of the subject but at a different orientation with respect to thebody of the subject). As yet another example, the first location of thefirst position and the second location of the second position aredifferent, but the first orientation of the first position and thesecond orientation of the second position are the same (e.g., the probe105 remains at the same orientation with respect to the body of thesubject but at a different location along the body of the subject).

At 350, the probe 105 transmits a second ultrasound beam (e.g., ascontrolled by the vascular mapping circuit 238) into the section ofvasculature that is to be mapped. The second ultrasound beam istransmitted while the probe is in the second position that is differentfrom the first position such that the position of the second ultrasoundbeam at the section of the vasculature is different from that of thefirst ultrasound beam. In some arrangements, the second ultrasound beamalso includes an ultrasound beam configured to insonate the section ofvasculature at multiple depths.

At 360, the vascular mapping circuit 238 receives second ultrasound datathat is based on and results from the second ultrasound beam transmittedat step 320. Step 360 is similar to step 330 and therefore thedescription provided with respect to step 330 above is applicable tostep 360. In some arrangements, because the probe 105 is in the secondposition different from the first position the second ultrasound datareflects a different portion of the section of the vasculature than doesthe first ultrasound data. For example, because the robotics 214 areconfigured to move the probe 105 in fine increments, the firstultrasound data and the second ultrasound data include informationregarding portions of the section of the vasculature that significantlyoverlap, but yet are still different in the portions of the section ofthe vasculature that are insonated. As another example, the first andsecond positions of the probe 105 can be far from each other or have asignificant difference in orientation of the probe 105 such that thefirst ultrasound data and the second ultrasound data include informationregarding portions of the section of the vasculature that do notsignificantly overlap or that are completely distinct.

At 370, the vascular mapping circuit 238 constructs a map of the sectionof the vasculature based on the first ultrasound data and the secondultrasound data. In some arrangements, the vascular mapping circuit 238makes a determination as to whether enough ultrasound data has beenacquired before initiating construction of the map. For example, thevascular mapping circuit 238 can track and base this determination onhow many ultrasound insonations have occurred in a certain period oftime, the amount of ultrasound data received, the number of movements ofthe probe 105, the amount of time that has lapsed since the start of thevascular mapping process, and so on.

In other arrangements, the vascular mapping circuit 238 adds or refinesthe vascular map as ultrasound data is received for continuousconstruction of the map (e.g., based on blood flow directional vectorfrom the previous positions). For example, based on the previousinformation received by the ultrasound beam, the vascular mappingcircuit 238 can guide the robotics control circuit 240 to control theprobe 105 to move to the next position for insonation such that theinsonation pattern or strategy or path can be more efficient ininsonating at optimal angles and positions to find more portions of thesection of the vasculature more quickly. As an example, the vascularmapping circuit 238 can use the detected blood flow direction receivedfrom the ultrasound beam to inform a next insonation point (e.g.,because the direction and magnitude of the blood flow of an insonatedportion of the vasculature is received by the vascular mapping circuit238, it can be known where that particular insonated vessel extends byfollowing the blood flow such that the robotics 214 can move the probe105, as controlled by the robotics control circuit 240, to insonate thenext location where the vessel likely extends). In some arrangements,this can be referred to as vessel walking.

Further disclosure regarding guiding the position of the probe 105 basedon previous blood flow information (e.g., vessel walking) that can beused in conjunction with the system 100 described herein can be found inU.S. Pat. No. 11,090,026, titled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMININGCLINICAL INDICATIONS, granted on Aug. 17, 2021, which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety.

In some arrangements, because the coordinates of the probe 105 withinthe robotic system and the depths starting from the probe 105 of theinsonated portions of the section of the vasculature are known (e.g.,from the predetermined parameters of the robotic system and from thereceived ultrasound data, respectively), the vascular mapping circuit238 can construct the insonated portions of the section of thevasculature in three-dimensional space). In other words, in somearrangements, positional information of the probe 105 from the roboticsystem are aligned with the ultrasound data based on the depths ofinsonation of the ultrasound beams. In some arrangements, Euler rotationmatrices are used with this known information, and so the correspondingprojections of the insonated portions of the section of the vasculaturein the three-dimensional robotic reference frame can be determined.Accordingly, the vascular mapping circuit 238 can provide avisualization of the obtained coordinates in three-dimensional spacethat reflects topology of sections of vasculature of a subject.

In some arrangements, the probe 105 is held and manually manipulated bya human operator. In order to determine the position and orientation ofthe probe so that the image reconstruction can take place, additionalmethods of locating the probe 105 in space could be used including:position sensor located within the probe which is either an absoluteposition sensor or a relative displacement sensor, linear, angular, ormulti axis position sensors located within the probe, imaging of theprobe using a camera and determining its position, simultaneous imagingof the probe 105 and anatomical features so that anatomical landmarks onthe subject are known relative to the location of the probe 105, addingmarkers (e.g. fiducials) on the probe 105 such that imaging caninterpret its location as the marker is moved through space, andaccelerometers which sense parameters such as tilt, movement and speed.Based on the resolution of the measurement and the ability toreconstruct a map from multiple measurements of the same position inspace, the knowledge of the location of the probe 105 in space can bereduced (e.g., five degrees of freedom including X, Y, Z, pan and tilt)to less because multiple measurements of the same location can bestitched together.

In some arrangements, instead of using the method 300 for vascularmapping, other parts of the body of the subject can be imaged and aresulting map can therefore be constructed utilizing similar steps. Forexample, the ultrasound beams can be used to insonate an internal organat multiple positions of the probe 105 to map and image a visualizationof the organ (or bone, tissue, etc.).

In some arrangements, the vascular mapping circuit 238, for example atstep 330 and step 360, receives the ultrasound data from the probe 105at certain times that are associated with certain locations andorientations (first and second positions) of the probe 105 at thosetimes. As such, in some arrangements, a time stamp of ultrasound data ismatched with a time stamp of the robotics 214 attached to the probe 105.After matching the time stamps, using the position of the probe 105 andgiven the direction and length of the ultrasound beam originating fromthe probe 105, coordinates of the ultrasound insonation can bedetermined. Hence, the position of multiple portions of the vasculaturethat are insonated by the ultrasound beam at different depths can becataloged in space, and all or some of the vasculature can bereconstructed by continuously moving the probe 105, emanating anultrasound beam, and storing positional information of any resultinginsonated vasculature portions.

Accordingly, in some arrangements, based on known anatomy, differentparts of the vasculature can be identifiable based on insonation depths,blood flow direction, and vessel curvature. Furthermore, vascularmapping can help with vessel identification and navigation to ensurethat ultrasound measurements are in correct regions desired fordiagnostics. In addition, for stroke, vascular mapping can identifywhere an occlusion resides (e.g., by identifying a portion of thevasculature that should exhibit blood flow, based on the mapping andknown anatomy, demonstrate poor or nonexistent blood flow), helping withan expedient intervention.

Accordingly, power M-Mode can be used to re-construct brain vasculaturein 3D space. This non-invasive tool enables 3D vascular mapping,allowing for insight into cerebrovascular health unlocked by the rTCDsystem. Such mapping can help with vessel identification to assure TCDmeasurements are in regions required for assessment or aid in thecomparison of different vessels for a wide range of pathologies.

In some arrangements, the mapping of the vasculature as described hereincan be displayed (e.g., at the output device 140) in various forms toprovide healthcare providers with convenient and informativevisualizations. For example, while performing traditional ultrasoundscans (e.g., to acquire blood flow velocity waveforms at particularportions of the cerebral vasculature, for example, at the middlecerebral artery), the mapping of the vasculature can be displayed whilethe ultrasound scan is performed so that the healthcare professional canconveniently and readily see exactly where in the vasculature theultrasound beam is currently being projected so that the healthcareprofessional can be guided or can quickly find the desired section ofvasculature that is to be insonated. In some arrangements, the mappingof the vasculature is used in generating medical reports so that theviewer of the reports can readily see where in the vasculature the bloodflow information is coming from.

In some arrangements, fusion imaging is accomplished with the help ofthe vascular mapping. For example, in some arrangements, fusion imagingfor TCD and other imaging modalities (e.g. computed tomographyangiography (CTA), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and so on) can beused to align real time search and vessel mapping with what has beenfound in these imaging modalities. In some arrangements, the system 100,and particularly the robotics 214 controlled by the robotics controlcircuit 240, rely on fiducials at the subject in space for maneuveringthe probe 105. These fiducials provide the system 100, and particularlythe robotics 214 controlled by the robotics control circuit 240,knowledge of where the person is and therefore where the probe 105 iswith respect to the other imaging modalities (e.g., CTA and MRI). Forexample, the other imaging modalities can also be accomplished withfiducials at the same place as those used in connection with the system100, allowing for co-registration of the different imaging modalities.

Further disclosure regarding fiducials and registration of the system100 can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 10,616,473, titled SYSTEMS AND METHODSFOR REGISTERING HEADSET SYSTEM, granted on Apr. 7, 2020, which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram illustrating an example workspace 400 ofa subject according to various arrangements.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4A, the workspace 400 of the probe 105 maycorrespond to a maximum allowable boundary which the robotics 214 canmove the probe 105. While shown to be planar (e.g., in an XY-plane), theworkspace 400 can be three-dimensional (in an XYZ-space). While theworkspace 400 is shown to be square, the workspace 400 can have anysuitable shape such as but not limited to, triangle, rectangle, circle,pentagon, hexagon, irregular shape, and so on.

In some arrangements, the workspace 400 corresponds to the subject'stemporal acoustic window (e.g., the square between the subject's eyecorner and tragus). As shown in FIG. 4, the workspace 400 is shown tohave been scanned by the system 100 in the manner described herein atnumerous positions 450 of the probe 105 (e.g., XY-coordinate locationsalong the subject's temporal region and at various angles of insonationof the probe 105).

FIG. 4B is a three-dimensional diagram illustrating a plurality ofultrasound beams of insonation within the subject shown in FIG. 4Aaccording to various arrangements.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4B, FIG. 4B illustrates a perspective view of thesubject's acoustic window and workspace 400 and the resulting ultrasoundbeams within the subject's head corresponding to the points of contactbetween the probe 105 and the subject at the workspace 400, as describedwith respect to FIG. 4A. As shown in FIG. 4B, each point of contactbetween the probe 105 and the subject is associated with a correspondingultrasound beam of a given length that extends within the subject basedon the orientation of the probe 105 at the point of contact.Accordingly, by moving the probe 105 at different locations along asubject and by orienting the probe 105 at different angles at a givenpoint of contact or at different points of contact, ultrasound data canbe acquired to accurately reconstruct a subject's vasculature insonatedby the plurality of ultrasound beams.

FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating an ultrasound beam 500 insonating acircle of Willis according to various arrangements. FIG. 5B is athree-dimensional diagram illustrating data collected by the ultrasoundbeam 500 insonating the circle of Willis shown in FIG. 5A according tovarious arrangements.

Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, the ultrasound beam 500 is shown toinsonate multiple depths of the circle of Willis vasculature, forexample, portions of the middle cerebral artery and anterior cerebralartery. As described above, the plurality of portions insonated by theultrasound beam 500 can provide imaging parameters at those differentportions, such as, but not limited to, presence of blood flow, directionof blood flow, and intensity or magnitude of the blood flow. As shown inFIG. 5B, the same ultrasound beam can reflect this ultrasound data atthe insonated portions of the vasculature in three-dimensional space.Accordingly, this information can then be used to construct thevasculature map as described herein.

The above used terms, including “held fast,” “mount,” “attached,”“coupled,” “affixed,” “connected,” “secured,” and the like are usedinterchangeably. In addition, while certain arrangements have beendescribed to include a first element as being “coupled” (or “attached,”“connected,” “fastened,” etc.) to a second element, the first elementmay be directly coupled to the second element or may be indirectlycoupled to the second element via a third element.

The previous description is provided to enable any person skilled in theart to practice the various aspects described herein. Variousmodifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilledin the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied toother aspects. Thus, the claims are not intended to be limited to theaspects shown herein, but is to be accorded the full scope consistentwith the language claims, wherein reference to an element in thesingular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless specificallyso stated, but rather “one or more.” Unless specifically statedotherwise, the term “some” refers to one or more. All structural andfunctional equivalents to the elements of the various aspects describedthroughout the previous description that are known or later come to beknown to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporatedherein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the claims.Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to thepublic regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited inthe claims. No claim element is to be construed as a means plus functionunless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for.”

It is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in theprocesses disclosed is an example of illustrative approaches. Based upondesign preferences, it is understood that the specific order orhierarchy of steps in the processes may be rearranged while remainingwithin the scope of the previous description. The accompanying methodclaims present elements of the various steps in a sample order, and arenot meant to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented.

The previous description of the disclosed implementations is provided toenable any person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosedsubject matter. Various modifications to these implementations will bereadily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principlesdefined herein may be applied to other implementations without departingfrom the spirit or scope of the previous description. Thus, the previousdescription is not intended to be limited to the implementations shownherein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with theprinciples and novel features disclosed herein.

The various examples illustrated and described are provided merely asexamples to illustrate various features of the claims. However, featuresshown and described with respect to any given example are notnecessarily limited to the associated example and may be used orcombined with other examples that are shown and described. Further, theclaims are not intended to be limited by any one example.

The foregoing method descriptions and the process flow diagrams areprovided merely as illustrative examples and are not intended to requireor imply that the steps of various examples must be performed in theorder presented. As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art theorder of steps in the foregoing examples may be performed in any order.Words such as “thereafter,” “then,” “next,” etc. are not intended tolimit the order of the steps; these words are simply used to guide thereader through the description of the methods. Further, any reference toclaim elements in the singular, for example, using the articles “a,”“an” or “the” is not to be construed as limiting the element to thesingular.

The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, andalgorithm steps described in connection with the examples disclosedherein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, orcombinations of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability ofhardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules,circuits, and steps have been described above generally in terms oftheir functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented ashardware or software depends upon the particular application and designconstraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans mayimplement the described functionality in varying ways for eachparticular application, but such implementation decisions should not beinterpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the presentdisclosure.

The preceding description of the disclosed examples is provided toenable any person skilled in the art to make or use the presentdisclosure. Various modifications to these examples will be readilyapparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles definedherein may be applied to some examples without departing from the spiritor scope of the disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is not intendedto be limited to the examples shown herein but is to be accorded thewidest scope consistent with the following claims and the principles andnovel features disclosed herein.

It should be noted that although the diagrams herein may show a specificorder and composition of method blocks, it is understood that the orderof these blocks may differ from what is depicted. For example, two ormore blocks may be performed concurrently or with partial concurrence.Also, some method blocks that are performed as discrete blocks may becombined, blocks being performed as a combined block may be separatedinto discrete blocks, the sequence of certain processes may be reversedor otherwise varied, and the nature or number of discrete processes maybe altered or varied. The order or sequence of any element or apparatusmay be varied or substituted according to alternative arrangements.Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included withinthe scope of the present disclosure as defined in the appended claims.Such variations will depend on the machine-readable media and hardwaresystems chosen and on designer choice. It is understood that all suchvariations are within the scope of the disclosure. Likewise, softwareand web arrangements of the present disclosure could be accomplishedwith standard programming techniques with rule based logic and otherlogic to accomplish the various database searching blocks, correlationblocks, comparison blocks, and decision blocks.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: receiving first ultrasounddata including at least one imaging parameter of a first portion of avasculature of a subject based on a first ultrasound beam, wherein thefirst ultrasound beam is transmitted by a probe at a first positionrelative to a body of the subject; receiving second ultrasound dataincluding the at least one imaging parameter of a second portion of thevasculature based on a second ultrasound beam, wherein the firstultrasound beam is transmitted by the probe at a second positionrelative to the body of the subject; determining that ultrasound dataacquired is enough for constructing a map of the vasculature, whereinthe ultrasound data comprises the first ultrasound data and the secondultrasound data; and in response to determining that the ultrasound dataacquired is enough for constructing the map, constructing the map of thevasculature based at least in part on the first position, the secondposition, the first ultrasound data, and the second ultrasound data. 2.The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the probe, by a robotconnected to the probe, to the first position relative to the body; andtransmitting, by the probe, the first ultrasound beam into the firstportion of the vasculature.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the firstultrasound beam simultaneously insonates a first plurality of depths. 4.The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the probe, by a robotconnected to the probe, to the second position relative to the body; andtransmitting, by the probe, the second ultrasound beam into the secondportion of the vasculature.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the secondultrasound beam simultaneously insonates a second plurality of depths.6. The method of claim 1, the at least one imaging parameter comprisespresence and vector direction of blood flow.
 7. The method of claim 1,wherein determining that the ultrasound data acquired is enough forconstructing the map comprises determining a number of ultrasoundinsonation.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that theultrasound data acquired is enough for constructing the map comprisesdetermining an amount of ultrasound data.
 9. The method of claim 1,wherein determining that the ultrasound data acquired is enough forconstructing the map comprises determining a number of movements of theprobe, wherein the movements comprise moving the probe to the firstposition relative to the body and moving the probe to the secondposition relative to the body.
 10. The method of claim 1, whereindetermining that the ultrasound data acquired is enough for constructingthe map comprises determining an amount of time lapsed.
 11. Anon-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readableinstructions such that, when executed by a processor, configures theprocessor to: receive first ultrasound data including at least oneimaging parameter of a first portion of a vasculature of a subject basedon a first ultrasound beam, wherein the first ultrasound beam istransmitted by a probe at a first position relative to a body of thesubject; receive second ultrasound data including the at least oneimaging parameter of a second portion of the vasculature based on asecond ultrasound beam, wherein the first ultrasound beam is transmittedby the probe at a second position relative to the body of the subject;determine that ultrasound data acquired is enough for constructing a mapof the vasculature, wherein the ultrasound data comprises the firstultrasound data and the second ultrasound data; and in response todetermining that the ultrasound data acquired is enough for constructingthe map, construct the map of the vasculature based at least in part onthe first position, the second position, the first ultrasound data, andthe second ultrasound data.
 12. The non-transitory computer-readablemedium of claim 11, the at least one imaging parameter comprisespresence and vector direction of blood flow.
 13. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein determining that theultrasound data acquired is enough for constructing the map comprisesdetermining a number of ultrasound insonation.
 14. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein determining that theultrasound data acquired is enough for constructing the map comprisesdetermining an amount of ultrasound data.
 15. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein determining that theultrasound data acquired is enough for constructing the map comprisesdetermining an number of movements of the probe, wherein the movementscomprise moving the probe to the first position relative to the body andmoving the probe to the second position relative to the body.
 16. Thenon-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein determiningthat the ultrasound data acquired is enough for constructing the mapcomprises determining an amount of time lapsed.
 17. A tool, comprising:at least one processing circuit configured to: receive first ultrasounddata including at least one imaging parameter of a first portion of avasculature of a subject based on a first ultrasound beam, wherein thefirst ultrasound beam is transmitted by a probe at a first positionrelative to a body of the subject; receive second ultrasound dataincluding the at least one imaging parameter of a second portion of thevasculature based on a second ultrasound beam, wherein the firstultrasound beam is transmitted by the probe at a second positionrelative to the body of the subject; determine that ultrasound dataacquired is enough for constructing a map of the vasculature, whereinthe ultrasound data comprises the first ultrasound data and the secondultrasound data; and in response to determining that the ultrasound dataacquired is enough for constructing the map, construct the map of thevasculature based at least in part on the first position, the secondposition, the first ultrasound data, and the second ultrasound data. 18.The tool of claim 17, further comprising a probe, wherein the probe ismoved to the first position relative to the body to transmit the firstultrasound beam into the first portion of the vasculature; and the probeis moved to the second position relative to the body to transmit thesecond ultrasound beam into the second portion of the vasculature.